Underground Exiles

I swear if I see this bumper sticker one more time, I’m going to scream at the owner of the car - not because I disagree with the sentiment, but because it shows how much of the public lacks a basic knowledge of the English language - besides being intellectually dishonest.

I actually got an invitation today to join the COEXIST group on Facebook; so that is what led to the on-coming rant.  Here’s a description of the group from their profile:

This group is here because there is too much intolerance and blind hatred in the world. Too often do we let our cultural, political, and religious differences separate us. We are all members of one race, humans, and we’re all on this planet together. It’s about time we started learning to be more accepting of others, because the planet isn’t getting any bigger. Everyone has a right to believe whatever they will, and all welcome to share it.

I should point out that the folks joining the Facebook group and driving the bumper stickers around, that this is how “coexist” is defined by Merriam-Webster:

to exist together or at the same time.

Do I really need to point out that we already coexist, or is it as obvious as I think it is?  Furthermore, the mentality behind the sentiment is nothing more than a fuzzy feeling version of the old mantra that truth is relative, and there are many paths to God. (Cue Oprah theme-song here.)

So, what do we do when my truth says your truth is wrong?  Can we both possibly be right?  Or is it more likely that there can’t possibly be two contradictory truths - that my sister can’t be a mother and simultaneously not a mother at the same time?

My advice to those of you that are thirsty for spiritual truth or spiritual things would be this: even if you’re thirsty, don’t take a tall drink of toilet water.

So here’s a quick comparison between Christianity and Scientology:

1. “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” - Jesus, Matthew 5.38-39
2. “An enemy… may be injured by any means or tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.” - L. Ron Hubbard, Penalties for Lower Conditions, HCO PL 18 Oct 67
3. “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” - Jesus Christ, Matthew 5.37
4. “Handling truth is a touchy business … Tell an acceptable truth.” - L. Ron Hubbard, The Missing Ingredient, 13 August 1970.

Maybe it’s pointless for me to attempt a point by point comparison of the Bible with Hubbard’s blasphemous views on the subject. The shocking differences are all too obvious. It’s difficult to resist the temptation, when Scientology publications state that “you can be a Christian and a Scientologist at the same time”.

To your right is the Wittenberg Door, where Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 theses. This series of blogs is written in the same spirit, and to promote the scholarly study of the beliefs and practices of Dianetics and Scientology. The “Church” of Scientology is less than forthcoming in revealing its entire belief structure to the general public. Scientology publicly claims to be an “applied religious philosophy”, as well as being compatible with other religious belief systems. However, the private upper levels of Scientology introduce many concepts that stretch the definition of “compatible”, and L. Ron Hubbard says many uncomplimentary things about religion in general and Christianity in particular. This blog series explores the beliefs and practices of Scientology, then compares those beliefs and practices to those of Christianity.

Firstly, Scientology believes that God exists, but goes on to say “As to the form in which He exists, we do not know,”¹.

Although Scientology does not know the exact form of God (i.e., the Supreme Being), it does teach that there are “gods above other gods, and gods beyond the gods of the universes”². Scientology also states that each thetan (person) “has as far as we can see in the manufacture of energy, about the same capabilities as those which have been assigned to the Supreme being in the universe”³. All of these views should be problematic for Christians, especially when Scientology claims to be compatible with all religions. These views are certainly not compatible with Christianity.

Read more…

1. Scientology: A World Religion, p. 17: What is Scientology, p. 200 [↩]
2. Scientology 8-8008, p. 72 [↩]
3. Philadelphia Doctorate Course#9, L. Ron Hubbard [↩]